Duel Chronicles IV: Shadows of a Fallen Past
by Kuinra Shisa
Summary: Ryou's good night's sleep is about to be interrupted by the truth about himself... Prologue to the Duel Chronicles Special: Mystic Epic


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yugioh but I did create a number of the cards that appear in this story.

**Ryu:** I got an idea for a new duel that I think will be fun, though maybe a bit cliché but I don't care. So I'm gonna write it. I'm still waiting for assistance from my fiancée on my novel (the brat didn't help me when she was here) so after it's done I may go work on the next chapter of _Why So Alone_. But for now I'm gonna do this.

**Bad Player:** You read all three and liked them so I happy. Hm… the last one didn't seem to be a favorite but oh well; I wanted sadness on that one. The other two were happy so I needed the contrasting. This one will probably be happy again.

**dr-fan/mai-lover: **Thanks for the review. I'm not really sure what it said, but thank you.

**Ryu:** I want more readers y,y

* * *

Duel Chronicles IV: Fallen Past

"Thanks for coming guys, it was fun. I'll see you at school tomorrow."

Ryou Bakura waved after his friends until they had gone and closed the door when they were. He turned and leaned against the door with a happy sigh. He didn't have people over often and it had been nice to spend time with his friends doing what he enjoyed the most for once.

He walked across the living room of the apartment and into the bedroom he'd turned into a game room. The large table in the center that housed his giant Monster World table was littered with candy wrappers, drink cans, a few paper plates, and all different kinds of his little lead figurines. The downside of having a bunch of teens over when you lived alone was the clean up that followed when they all left. Luckily, Ryou somewhat enjoyed tidying things up and so set to work putting things where they belonged.

When the game room was cleaned he walked into the bathroom, undressed quickly, and climbed into the shower. He gave another happy sigh as the water ran down his body and relaxed him. Today had been the most fun he'd had in a long time. Even the loneliness of the night wouldn't be able to bother him this evening.

"Still so beautiful…" 

Ryou jumped, startled. He peeked out from the shower curtain and looked around. He had thought he'd heard a voice but no one was there.

'_I'm just hearing things,'_ he told himself while reaching for the soap. _'I'm just tired from all the fun today.'_

He finished washing his body quickly, did his hair, then got out and dried off. He dressed in powder blue pants and a white t-shirt before walking to his bed, still ruffling a fluffy white towel in his hair.

"Time for bed," he yawned, plopping down on the mattress and pulling the comforter over himself. It hadn't taken him long to get used to sleeping alone again and he easily found a comfortable position to rest in.

Sleep found Ryou quickly and the pale-colored boy could feel the darkness embrace him. He was drifting through it, his body light as a feather. It was a familiar darkness that he could relax in; feel safe in.

The sound of something moving in the trees stirred the boy. He opened his eyes and gazed around at his surroundings. He was in the middle of a forest, trees and plants all around him. Strangle, instead of grass, the ground was a checker print of light and dark green.

"That's odd," he said to himself. "I remember going to sleep in bed… and I know this isn't real, but I thought you weren't supposed know when you were in a dream." He stood up and looked down at his clothes. He was dressed in a white robe with a golden ankh on the front and matching hat. In one hand he held a gold scepter in the shape of an ankh, two red, ten-sided dice encased in its center. "I know this garb," he gasped and looked around again. "I'm in Monster World."

He began to walk along the forest path, admiring its beauty despite it not being real. "It's so nice here," he said happily. "I wonder if there are any…" the sound of a loud roar cut his words off, "monsters."

He spun around and saw a large orc standing behind hm, breathing deeply and smelling horrible. The beast raised his club and swung it down at the boy. Ryou wanted to jump but he couldn't for some reason. He remembered then that he had to roll to see if he could dodge and held up his staff. The dice in it began to jump about and then settled, landing on 00.

"Perfect," he said proudly as he dodged the blow. "A double zero means I dodge _and_ counter attack." He landed safely away from the beast before launching a beam of white energy at it, blowing it to pieces. "All right."

"As powerful as ever," came a deep, rumbling voice from nowhere.

"Who's there?" Ryou called, looking around him.

Behind him the leaves on the trees began to fall to the ground and then the trees themselves tumbled over. From behind them rose a giant dark castle, looming darkly over the land and casting it into deep shadow.

"I had to make sure bringing you here wouldn't be pointless," the voice boomed.

"Show yourself," Ryou demanded, raising his scepter.

From the castle's tallest tower leapt a figure that landed on the ground before the wizard boy. The figure had dark skin and wore dark violet pants that matched the mask that hid his face. From behind the mask jutted spikes of green hair and he wore a deep crimson cloak behind him. Two demonic spikes rose from his shoulders and over the left side of his chest was a thin piece of armor that connected to the skull belt-buckle at his waist.

"Zorc," Ryou growled.

"I'm glad you remember me Ryou," the beast said, standing fully upright. "It'll save the introductions and we can get right to the challenge."

"Challenge?" Ryou asked.

Zorc smirk while removing the armor from his chest and placing it on his left arm where it morphed into something Ryou didn't expect.

"A duel disk?"

"Only one of us will leave this place so let's begin," Zorc's rumbling voice announced as he drew 5 cards.

"I won't lose," Ryou said, placing his scepter into his belt. He held out his left hand and a duel disk appeared there, one of white marble, rubies, and sapphires. _'I hope I can do this,' _he thought nervously, also drawing 5 cards. He looked down at his hand and raised an eyebrow. "What are these cards?"

Zorc (4000) chuckled low. "Our decks are reflections of us."

"These cards are nothing like me," Ryou (4000) denied. "But that doesn't mean I can't beat you with them so here I go, draw (6)." The boy looked over his hand. _'I better see the rest of the deck so I know what I'm dealing with, and I can with this card.'_ "For my opening move I'll play _Foolish Burial_." Before him appeared a pale green cross, and then a hand shot from the ground in front of that. "This card will let me send 1 monster from my deck to my graveyard."

He pulled the cards out and looked through the deck. _'No,'_ he said to himself, _'these cards aren't me. I'm not like them.'_

"Well?" the demon said impatiently.

Ryou shook his head and made his decision. "I chose _Fallen Angel Marie_." He gave the card to the hand in front of him, which receded back into the ground with the cross while Ryou reshuffled.

"A fallen angel, how very fitting," Zorc chuckled.

"Next I'll summon my _Fallen Angel Dante_ (4; 1700/1300)," Ryou growled. Before him appeared a female dressed in a purple tunic dress fastened at the waist with a red sash, gray wings coming from her back, and horns on her forehead. "I'm done."

Zorc chuckled as he drew. "I summon my _Dead Spirit Knight - Death Calibur Knight_ (5; 1900/1800)." A skeletal knight in black armor on a black stallion came charging from the drawbridge of Zorc's castle and stopped on the demon's field. "_Death Calibur Knight_, attack his angel." The knight's horse charged forward and swung his sword through the woman, destroying her and reducing Ryou's LPs by 200 (3800). "I'll set 2 reverse cards (3) and end my turn." The backs of 2 cards appeared on his field.

"My turn then." Ryou drew his card (5). "During my Standby Phase the effects of all the _Fallen Angel_ monsters in my graveyard activate." _Marie_, a fallen woman with black skin and blonde hair dressed in a pink nightgown, and _Dante_ appeared behind Ryou's head. "And since they're in the graveyard your knight can't negate them." _Marie_ rained down blue speckles on Ryou. "_Marie_ will give me 200 LPs (4000)," and then _Dante_ placed a gray feather on Zorc's knight, "while _Dante_ lowers your monster's ATK by 200 (1700). Then I summon _Fallen Angel Caroline_." He'd summoned a woman with wavy brown hair and wearing a dark purple dress (1800/1000). "_Caroline_, attack his knight."

Then angel's hands began to glow purple and she raised them.

"Reverse card open," Zorc said quietly. One of his cards vanished and then, from the windows of his castle, flowed out a purple fog that formed on the field into a dragon-like shape. "Trap-Monster, _Dead Spirit - Zoma_, appear in defense mode (1800/500)."

"I know that card and it's effect," Ryou said. "If I destroy it I'll lose LPs equal to the ATK of whatever I destroy it with. _Caroline_, continue to attack his knight."

The angel fired the purple energy from her hands at the target.

"Of course you know," Zorc laughed, "You always did have a good memory. So I activate my other Trap, _Earthbound Spirit's Invitation_." From the windows of the castle came out ghostly hands that grabbed the light beam. "This Trap can change the target of your attack."

The light hit _Zoma_ instead, destroying it and sending the gas rocketing at Ryou.

"As you said, destroying _Zoma_ will damage you by your monster's ATK," Zorc repeated while Ryou's LPs dropped (2200).

Ryou grabbed his chest in pain from the attack. "You're strategy…" he got out through gritted teeth.

Zorc just laughed. "Looks like you cards really are your reflection," the demon chuckled, "hurting yourself like you used to."

"How do you know?" Ryou asked.

"Hurry up," Zorc called.

'_Why does he act so much like… No! It can't be.'_ He straightened himself up and looked at his hand. "I'll set 1 reverse card (3) and end my turn."

Zorc was still laughing when he drew (4). "You seem troubled," he said. "Let me put your mind at ease with a familiar face. I'll place 1 reverse card and set a monster (2). I'll also play _Dimension Hole_ (1), removing my knight from the game for 1 turn." A wormhole opened an sucked the knight in. "That's all for the moment."

"A familiar face?" Ryou wondered, drawing (4). "Start my Fallens." _Marie_ raised his LPs (2400) but there was nothing for _Dante_ to weaken. "Then I summon _Fallen Angel Balthasar _(3; 100/500)." A dark-skinned fallen angel in a white robe appeared. "_Caroline_, attack his set monster."

The angel launched her attack at the card back. The card flipped and the top of a jar came out of it. From that jar emerged a black, shapeless form with one eye and smiling yellow teeth.

"A _Morphing Jar_," Ryou gasped the formless thing burst from the attack.

"Yes," Zorc's deep voice confirmed. "Now we each throw our hands away and draw 5 new cards."

"Careful," Ryou warned, trying to be confident as he through away his 3 cards. "My monsters work from the graveyard, they'll destroy you from there."

"You know your reflections so well," Zorc chuckled, drawing (5).

Ryou's fists clenched. "I'm not like them," he yelled. "I've done no wrong?"

"No?"

"No, it _wasn't_ me! _Balthasar_, attack directly!" The angel pulled out a whip and lashed at Zorc, barely hurting him (3900). "I'll set a reverse card (4) and end my turn."

"Before you do," Zorc interrupted, "Let me play my set card." The card back on his field opened and out of it appeared a board covered in letters along with a hand holding something.

"That card," Ryou gasped.

"_Oujia Board_," Zorc said darkly. "Now, at the end of each of your turns, the board will spell out a message for you. And the first letter is…" the hand moved a bit before stopping over a letter, which appeared over Zorc's head in the hands of a spirit. "D."

"No, no, no," Ryou said, shaking his head. "I'm not seeing these cards; I threw them away."

"How cruel you are to throw away something that means so much to someone you care so much about," the demon laughed. "And since you ended your turn, here's your second letter." The hand moved again before making its choice. "E."

"No, I won't let you spell DEATH, not like back then," Ryou yelled. Why was he crying now? Why was this happening? It was all supposed to be over. Why was the image of the person he loved and hated most appearing here?

Zorc continued laughing while he drew (6). "My knight returns, without that little counter I might add," he said as the wormhole opened again and the skeletal knight came back. "I play _Tribute to the Doomed_, and discard 1 card (4) to destroy _Caroline_." A mummy appeared on the field and launched its bandages at the angel, wrapping her completely and dragging her underground. "Next I sacrifice my knight and summon _Earl of Demise_." The knight was absorbed by a black hole on the ground and replaced by a blue-skinned demon in a fine red velvet suit (3; 2000/700).

"Not the earl too," Ryou cried. The deck was a reflection of Zorc… no, it was a reflection of _him_. "Those cards aren't yours, these cards aren't mine, _you're not him!_"

"Those cards are you," Zorc taunted. "Think of how your friends suffered because of you."

Ryou clasped his head. "Not me, _him!_"

"But you didn't stop it," Zorc pressed. "You just let it happened."

"He was too strong!"

"He loved you."

Ryou stopped, wide-eyed, and looked up at the beast. "How do you…"

Zorc wasn't smiling anymore. He went on solemnly, "I remove _Dead Spirit Knight – Death Calibur Knight_, _Headless Knight_ that I lost to my _Morphing Jar_, and _The Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams_ I just discarded to summon my ultimate creature of darkness." A purple light shot from the top of Zorc's Castle and flew between the forest's trees, wrapping around Ryou once before taking place on Zorc's field. It shaped into a woman whose body was put together like a mannequin. She had blue skin and random parts of her body were covered with armor. Her eyes were black with yellow irises and in her hands she held the broken remains of a baby doll that gave an eerie laugh when it was summoned. "_Dark Necrophia_ (2; 2200/2800), appear in attack mode."

"That card…" Ryou said weakly. "That deck… reflection… you're…"

Zorc closed his eyes and reached up to his face, taking hold of his mask. He started to remove it and was briefly engulfed in a whirlwind of dark energy. When the twister dispersed Zorc was gone and in his place stood someone like Ryou but very different. His skin was slightly darker and his hair was messier, the front spiking up like a bat's wings. His eyes were a deep brown but had a touch of purple and under the right one, along his cheek, was the faint outline of a scar. He was dressed in black jeans and his black trench coat only with the sleeves torn off, revealing black belts wrapped around his biceps.

"K…Kura… Is that really you?" Ryou couldn't believe his eyes. The love of his life; the being that had taken away everything he had; the one who owned his heart; he was standing here. "Why are you here?" Ryou shook his head then and gave a soft chuckle. "What am I saying? This is only a dream."

"Is it?" Bakura asked darkly. "Or are you facing reality?"

"You're gone, this is only a dream," Ryou replied calmly.

"Really?" Bakura asked.

Suddenly Ryou could feel a piercing pain in his chest and he grasped it. He had felt this pain before, of something digging into flesh, but this wasn't the same. It was all just a dream.

"Is it a dream my light?" Bakura asked again. He reached up and undid his coat, revealing his bare chest. Against that chest, its 5 pointed ends digging into the tanned skin, was the most hated artifact Ryou had ever laid eyes on.

"The Sennen Ring," he gasped with wide eyes.

"Despite everything I loved you," Bakura said. "And you claimed to love me but always got in the way at the wrong times."

"I couldn't let you hurt my friends," Ryou defended himself.

"_Earl of Demise_, attack _Balthasar_." The blue noble raised his sword and struck the angel, destroying it and continuing to Ryou, who he struck as well.

Ryou fell to his knees with the pain of his LPs falling (500).

"That's for your lies and betrayal," Bakura spat. "Now pay for not mourning me properly. _Dark Necrophia_, attack him directly."

"Trap card," Ryou said weakly. "_Dark Hope_. This card works when I have no monsters on my field and you attack me directly. It lets me call a _Fallen Angel _with 2000 ATK or less from my deck. I summon _Fallen Angel Casper _(0/600) in attack mode." A fallen man similar to _Balthasar _appeared. "Then I can play a Magic card from my hand, so I play _Gray Feather_ (3), which only works if I have a _Fallen Angel _out. It let's me destroy a Magic or Trap card on the field and I chose _Oujia Board_." The board was destroyed and both letters vanished.

"I'm still going to win," Bakura declared. "You have a monster with 0 ATK, that's as good as none. Lady Necrophia, end this."

The demon woman fired two blue streams of light from her eyes that pierced the angel and Ryou. The angel burst while Ryou clutched his chest.

"I win," Bakura snarled.

"Not yet," Ryou said. He staggered to his feet but then spread a pair of gray wings from behind his back, sending the dust away. "I activated my _Gray Wing Barrier_, reducing the damage from a _Fallen Angel _battling to 0. Plus, for each _Fallen Angel _in my graveyard at this point, I can block damage from that many more attacks. In my graveyard are _Marie_, _Dante_, _Rosario_ and _Rubido_ that I lost to your _Morphing Jar_, _Caroline_, _Balthasar_, and now _Casper_; that's seven."

"Looks like you're embracing the truth," Bakura said with a smirk. "Even if you did fall, you're still a beautiful angel Ryou."

"I'm not like that," Ryou said.

"Fine, then go."

Ryou drew (4). "Start my _Fallen Angel_ combo." The angels appeared behind the wizard. "_Marie _will raise my LPs (700); then _Dante _will weaken _Dark Necrophia_ (2000); next _Rosario_," a girl with long black hair and wearing a short black dress, "will summon another of herself from my deck" A second of the girl appeared before Ryou (1300/1100). "Then _Rubido _will change the position of a monster on your field, _Earl of Demise_."

Bakura's earl knelt down and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why do you have to be represented by such an annoying deck?" Bakura asked boredly.

Ryou ignored the question. "Since you only have 2 cards on hand _Caroline _won't do anything. The last 2 are _Balthasar_, with will give me a defense mode _Fallen Token_," A gray, human-shaped form with gray wings appeared, kneeling before Ryou (0/0), "and _Casper_, who'll let me draw 1 card (5)."

"I really should plan my revenge more excitingly," Bakura decided, rubbing his head out of boredom.

"I'll sacrifice my _Fallen Token _to summon _Fallen Angel Nicholas_," Ryou said irritably. The blank token began to take shape until it was a horned and winged boy with long black hair and wearing a black trench coat (4; 1800/1100). "And I'll equip _Broken Halo_ to make him 300 points stronger (3; 2100). _Nicholas_, attack _Dark Necrophia_."

The boy, whose horns now glowed, took a knife from his coat pocket and leapt at the lady, stabbing her through the abdomen. She let out a gargling noise and looked sadly down at her doll before vanishing, dropping the child to the checkered ground.

"You know what will come," Bakura smirked as his LPs dropped (3800).

Ryou only ignored him. "_Rosario_, attack his earl." The girl danced through the air before striking the demon earl with her heel and destroying him. "I'll set 3 cards (0) and end my turn."

At the declaration of his turn's end the baby doll on the ground began to twitch.

"Start the effect of _Dark Necrophia_," Bakura said with a chuckle as the doll floated up and into the arms of _Nicholas_. The angel stroked the doll's head tenderly while crossing over to Bakura's field. "And now it's my turn." He drew (3).

"Go _Cyclone_," Ryou called, opening one of his reversed cards. "I'll destroy that doll and take back my angel." A tornado fired from the card and blasted the doll to pieces. _Nicholas _shook his head before returning to Ryou's field.

Bakura only laughed. "Now there's nothing to stop me from playing this, _Cursed Necro Twins_ (2)."

There was silence a moment, and then the sound of footsteps as two possessed dolls of little girls walked out of the forest on either side of Ryou. He jumped as they walked by. They were blonde and had gray skin. One wore a blue dress and carried a red package while the other wore a red dress and carried a black package. They walked over to Bakura's field and turned to face Ryou.

"I doubt you remember this card my light," Bakura said. "How it works is you pick a gift for yourself and give the other to me. Which do you want?"

'_Black and red… not an easy choice,'_ Ryou pondered. _'One must be good but which. Black represents death and red blood. Then again red could be mean danger and black mean nothingness… But then…'_

"Well," Bakura pressed. He had always been so impatient.

Ryou sighed and decided. "I'll take the black box."

Bakura chuckled softly, then a little louder, and then finally began to laugh manically. "Poor choice my light," he said as the boxes opened. From the red came a golden fog that wrapped around Bakura. "The red box will give me 200 LPs every time a card is sent from my hand or deck to the graveyard," he said triumphantly.

"And the black?" Ryou asked as a dark green fog crept over to him.

"The black?" Bakura parroted. "Why it destroys your graveyard."

The dark green fog surged forward and into the graveyard slot of Ryou's gilded duel disk. A series of green apparitions began floating out onto the field until the slot was empty.

"All your cards will remain on the field as ghosts," Bakura said. "But don't worry, they won't take up any space. In fact, they won't do anything."

"Then why?" Ryou asked.

"Because," Bakura laughed. "If they're not in your graveyard their effects won't work."

Ryou glanced down at his duel disk. "Oh yeah."

"Next I'll play _Angel's Gift_ (1)." An angel in a white gown appeared and rained light down on Bakura's deck. "Now I draw 3 cards (4) and then discard 2 (2); which means my curse gives me 400 LPs (4200). Then I'll set this monster in defense mode (1) and end my turn."

Ryou drew (1). "You haven't stopped all my angels," he said. "The other effect of _Broken Halo_ is that the monster equipped with it can use its effect even while on the field. So _Nicholas_ will start his and do 300 damage to your LPs."

The boy angel tossed his knife at Bakura, going through the thief and reducing his life (3900).

"Next I play _Fallen Treasure_, forcing us both to draw 2 cards and show them to each other, but any monsters will go to the graveyard." Ryou drew his cards: _Dark Hope_ and _Angel's Gift_. "A Trap and a Magic card."

Bakura drew his two cards: _The Portrait's Secret _and an effect monster Ryou didn't recognize; it had a picture a white candle in a gold holster whose dripped off wax formed a hand reaching out. "_Portrait's Secret _and _Necro Candle_." He placed the cards in the graveyard. "So now I get 400 more LPs (4300), and, when _Necro Candle_ is discarded, I have to send 2 more candles from my deck to my graveyard." He searched his deck for them and discarded them as well. "So I get another 400 LPs (4700)."

"This is my turn, remember?" Ryou asked. "I play _Angel's Gift_, drawing 3 cards, and then discarding 2 (2)." He slid _Fallen's Flight_ and _Dark Hope_ into his graveyard, but they were spit back out as more green ghosts. "Even without my angels in my graveyard I can beat you. I sacrifice _Nicholas_ and _Rosario_ to summon _Fallen Angel Leo_." The sacrifices were surrounded by a pair of gray wings that spread and revealed one angel left. It was a boy with short brown hair wearing black slacks, a white shirt, and a long black coat (1; 2700/2050). "_Leo_, attack his set monster."

From under his coat the angel draw out a sword with a golden hilt in the shape of a winged lion. He flew forward with his sword raised and slashed downward at the monster. It didn't manage to connect with its target.

"What's going on?" Ryou asked.

"Take a look," Bakura instructed with a smile.

Ryou looked at the field and saw that _Leo's_ blade had run into a scythe held by a skeleton wearing a purple robe decorated with golden runes.

"You attacked my _Spirit Reaper_ (300/200)," Bakura announced. "And my reaper has the special ability to not be destroyed in battle."

The reaper seemed to give an evil smile as it forced back the angel's attack.

Ryou growled with annoyance. _'If I could use my angels this wouldn't be a problem.'_ He looked down at the only card in his hand but didn't play it; that card was too painful to use. "Turn end."

Bakura smiled as he drew. "I play my _Pot of Greed_, letting me draw 2 cards (3)." He looked down and began to laugh in the insane way that he did. "I can feel it. Your death is at hand," he said triumphantly. "But I need some help, and I think you have it. So I set 1 card and play the Magic card (1) _Exchange_."

Ryou grimaced as Bakura crossed the field to him.

"Since we only have 1 card each we'll just trade. Here you go."

Ryou took the card from him. "_Polymerization_, goodie."

"If I'm right, and I know I will be, then I won't need it," he shrugged off. "Now give me your card my light."

"Don't call me that, you're gone from me," Ryou spat, handing the card over.

"I'm not gone yet, my light," Bakura said as he took the card. "And this card proves it." He turned and started back to his field waving over his shoulder. "I'm done for now, so take your turn."

Ryou drew (2). "I'll summon _Fallen Angel Dante_ (1)." A second of the woman angel in the light purple dress appeared. "My turn is done."

"My turn already then?" Bakura asked, drawing (2). He got back to his field and looked at his card. "I play _Card of Demise_, letting me draw until I'm holding 5 cards. I won't even worry about losing my whole hand in 5 turns, I'll beat you by then." He performed the action and then looked down at what he got. That cackling, insane laughter filled the air once more. "Now, my light, witness the creature that led me to where I am today. The creature that's lived in my heart since that day so long ago when the Pharaoh took away everything I had."

"Kura…" Ryou said quietly, grasping his chest that was hurting again. He remembered when Bakura had told him about that day. The day that the Pharaoh's men road in and took the lives of his entire village.

"The Pharaoh killed everyone I had," Bakura shouted. "So now I'll take my revenge. With him gone I'll return and kill the ones he cared about."

"It wasn't Atem-san's fault, or his father's," Ryou tried to reason. "It wasn't them Kura, my friends had nothing to do with it."

"I don't care!" Bakura retorted. "I can't get to the one that did it so I'll destroy those closest; that includes you Ryou. I love you but if you chose to side with them then I _will _take you down."

"How do you plan to do that?" Ryou asked.

"By first playing the card I took from you, the one you couldn't use, the card that _is_ you. (4)" He slid the card into his duel disk and from the center tower of Zorc's castle appeared a bright shining light. It soared down from the tower and wrapped around the woman on Ryou's field before settling in her arms. The light faded and revealed a little girl holding a rosy heart, half her body hidden in shadow. Out of one of her shoulders came an angelic wing and from the shadowed half a demonic one.

"I play _Change of Heart_, giving me control of 1 of your monsters for 1 turn," Bakura announced. "And then I'll sacrifice _Dante _and my _Spirit Reaper_ to some the deadliest creature every, _Spirit of the Dead Village – Diabound_."

The monsters became rays of light and flew into the castle, which began to quake. From out of the main entrance slithered a giant silver snake and then the castle exploded. The snake had no tail, instead connecting to the torso of a giant silver man with feathered wings and wearing an Egyptian headdress that arose from the castles remains.

"This is _Diabound_ (1700/1200), the monster rom my past," Bakura introduced. "And he's the monster that will be your downfall."

"Check again, his ATK is 1000 points short of _Leo's_," Ryou pointed out.

Bakura just chuckled. "I'll set 2 reverse cards (2) and end my turn."

Ryou drew (1). "I know you Kura, you're setting me up. You want me to attack."

"And you will," Bakura said. "I activate my Trap, _Bring It!_, which will give you 1000 LPs but force you to attack in this turn with 1 monster I choose."

"All I have is _Leo_," Ryou (1700) sighed. "And since I know he'll surely be destroyed, I'll play this card while I can." He slid the card into his duel disk and _Leo_ flapped a wing at Bakura, sending a feather at his dolls. "I'll use _Gray Feather_ to destroy your _Cursed Necro Dolls_, meaning you won't gain anymore LPs and all my cards go back to the graveyard." The green ghosts over his field were sucked back into his duel disk. "Come my Standby Phase they'll be unleashed. For now, I attack with _Fallen Angel Leo_."

The fallen drew his sword again and flew at the beast. He swung his sword but Diabound survived. The dust from the attack, however, flew at Bakura and reduced his LPs by 2000 (2700).

"What happened?" Ryou asked as his angel returned to his field. "Your monster wasn't destroyed but you took double damage."

"Both of which are effects of _Diabound_," Bakura said. "But the damage means nothing to me because I'll use my Trap." His set card opened, showing a man being engulfed in darkness and morphing his arm into a distorted form. "This is _Necro Force_, and it activates when I take battle damage from one of my Demon or Zombie monsters battling."

"What does it do?" Ryou asked.

"It will decrease the ATK of your monster by the amount of damage I took," Bakura replied in a delighted tone.

A black fog seeped out of the card and swirled over to _Leo_. It grabbed at his body a dived down his throat, distorting his features and body while lowing his strength (700).

"I have no other cards to play," Ryou said sadly. "I'm done."

Bakura laughed as he drew (3). "Go _Diabound_, attack his angel." The snake-man raised his hands, creating a ball of energy, and fired it at the angel destroying it. "That should do it for you then," Bakura laughed.

The dust cleared and let Ryou be seen, that pair of gray wings wrapped around him. "Did you forget I till had my _Gray Wing Barrier _with 7 counters on it. I took 1 off to reduce the damage to 0. _Leo _my be gone but my LPs aren't."

"Maybe not," Bakura chuckled. "But take a look." He pointed at Ryou's chest.

The pale boy looked down and gasped. His robe had been torn open and he could see the golden ring resting on his skin, its pointers imbedded in him through bloody holes. "_No_," he gasped.

"All will be over soon my sweet light," Bakura laughed. "At this point _Diabound's_ effect activates." The snake-man grew a pair of horns and out of the skin of his arm form a lion's head with a blade coming out of it's mouth. "_Diabound _will abosrb half the original ATK of all the monsters he destroys (3050). He'll also absorb the effect of your monster until the end of your next turn."

"_Leo's_ effect won't do anything for your deck," Ryou said bitterly.

Bakura shrugged. "I guess I'll just place 1 reverse card and end my turn (2). I won't defeat you just yet."

Ryou shook his head and drew (2). "Start my _Fallen Angels_ in my Standby Phase," he declared as the angels all appeared. _Marie_ increased his LPs (1900), _Dante _weakened _Diabound_ (2850), _Rubido _switched _Diabound _to defense mode, _Rosario _summoned another of herself to the field. "You have less than 5 cards in your hand so _Caroline_ wont work; and since _Balthasar _and _Casper_ left the graveyard and were returned to it other than by battle they won't activate anymore. So that skips to _Nicholas_." The angel threw his knife at Bakura, damaging him (2400). "Then the second _Dante _will further weaken your monster (2650). Finally, _Leo_ starts. His effect lets me return a card in my hand to my deck and replace it with a _Fallen Angel_, so take back your _Polymerization _(1)."

Ryou threw the card across the field to his yami who caught it. He began to search his deck while Bakura reshuffled his.

"I pick _Fallen Angel Melchior _(2)," Ryou decided.

"But you still can't get to me" Bakura taunted. "You may have weakened _Diabound _but he still isn't destroyed in battle and now you've put him in defense mode so I won't be damaged either."

"But that won't save you." I activate the Magic card _Precious Coins from Above_ (1)." The sky over the field became alight with a golden glow that rained down on the players. "Now we each draw until we're holding 7 cards."

"Do you think you can beat me in this turn my light?" Bakura asked, drawing 5 cards.

"I do," Ryou said, drawing 6. He looked his hand over and then smiled. "I finally found a card in this deck that can represent me. I sacrifice _Fallen Angel Rosario_ to summon _Happiness Angel Ash_." In place of the offered angel appeared one with light pink wings and a golden halo. Her skin was olive-colored and her hair was long and black. She was small, but had large eyes like Ryou's, and wore a flowing white robe (6; 2300/2150).

"Will she break through my monster?" Bakura teased.

"No, but she'll allow me to," Ryou said. He looked at Bakura and the thief was shocked to see tears in those beautiful eyes. "Let me show you what we could've had Kura. I play _Angelic Marriage _(5)."

The field was suddenly the inside of a church. They were surrounded by white pews and walls hung with red and gold decorations. Colorful confetti rained from the ceiling and bells rang loudly in the air.

"Ryou…" Bakura was somewhat taken aback by the card.

"If I play this card when I have _Ash _out then I can call _Leo_ back from the graveyard," Ryou explained as the boy angel appeared back on the field. The girl ran to the newly summoned boy and they held each other in a tight embrace. "You say I betrayed you Kura, but you were too lost in your revenge to see how much I really loved you. Now you're going to pay."

Bakura shook his head, not wanting to get soft now. "You can't beat me."

"But I can," Ryou said. "And I'm going to play my final card. Trap card open, _Assault on the Pearl Gates_!"

The church faded and they were once again in the forest. The sky above them turned red and was filled with black clouds. Before Bakura appeared a set of golden gates that were sealed shut by a golden chain.

"At the cost of half my LPs," Ryou (950) went on, "I can do two things. First I can call as many _Fallen Angel _monsters as I want from my graveyard. So I summon _Marie_, _Nicholas_, and _Caroline_." The named angels appeared. "And the effect of _Ash_ gives all _Fallen Angels_ 300 more ATK, putting _Marie_ at 2000, _Nicholas_ and _Caroline _at 2100, and _Leo _at 3000."

"Power them up all you want, _Diabound_ is still here," Bakura reminded him.

"Then I'll go passed him," Ryou said with a smirk. "The other effect of _Assault on the Pearl Gates_ is to allow all my _Fallen Angels_ to attack you directly."

Bakura stepped back as the gates before him flew open in a gust of wind. He smiled, despite it, and said, "You have gotten stronger my light. But do you have the courage, or the heart, to attack me and win? Do you really want me to be gone forever?"

Ryou shook for a moment, going over the question. This was just a dream. Even if he did lose Bakura wouldn't return to him. Why shouldn't he win when he had the chance? He could bury the past and move ahead with his life now. All he had to do was crush this demon.

"You're not real," Ryou said, looking back up at his former lover. "This is just a dream and I doesn't matter if I defeat you or not." He drew his scepter from his belt and raised it to the air before pointing it at Bakura. "_Fallen Angel Leo_, attack Bakura's LPs directly and end this dream."

_Leo_ left his love's arms and drew his sword. He gave her a final kiss before leaping to the air and charging past _Diabound_, wanting to strike Bakura down directly.

"You've gotten strong indeed my light," Bakura laughed. "I just hope you aren't stronger than me when I make my return."

"This is a dream, and you just lost," Ryou declared. "Even if it was real you couldn't return unless you won."

"It's not that I have to win to return," Bakura corrected. "It's that you have to win to _keep me from_ returning. For me, a tie is just as good."

"A tie?" Ryou gasped

"Reverse card open," Bakura called through more of his insane laughter as his attacker drew near. "Magic card, _Contagion of Insanity_."

"What does that do?" Ryou asked as a light exploded on Bakura's field and cloud of laughing gray gas began to spread.

Bakura only laughed as the light grew brighter and brighter until Ryou couldn't see anymore and shot upright in his bed. He looked around frantically and saw only the dark surroundings of his room. Quickly he took off his shirt and felt his chest; no holes, no ring, just flesh.

Ryou breathed a sigh of relief. "Such a bad dream," he said while putting on his shirt and getting up from bed. He went to the kitchen and got a glass of water that he drank while coming back to his room. He set the glass on the bedside table and crawled back under the blanket. "Too much junk food," he blamed the dream on before drifiting back to sleep.

It wasn't until after he was asleep that a sound like a small chime rang in the room. It rang a second time and then the spot under his pillow glowed with a golden light.

An ethereal hand reached out and stroked a tuff of lavender hair away from the boy's sleeping face.

_"Still beautiful…" _**

* * *

Ryu: **I know, it was a long one. Remind me to never use cards that activate in the graveyard every turn, I had to get them out for a few turns for my sake. Anyway, that's the end. The deck Ryou used is based on a deck I designed for myself because of my love for Fallen Angels. Most of the cards can also be tracked back to either a story/book I've written or and interest of mine so it's really a very personal deck that who else cold use it but my Ryou-kun and Kura-chan. I wish I could've delved deeper into my card version of Diabound but, alas, I couldn't find a way for Ryou to stall much longer that didn't involve more graveyard effects. I guess I could've pushed back when he got rid of the dolls but that was too much work. 

With this done I'll most likely finish the current chapter of _Why So Alone_ since I'm still waiting for my fiancée's help with my novel so for anyone who reads that I'll try to finish it quickly. Anyone has any questions about the cards I made I'll be happy to answer them. And if you take the time to read this far please, PLEASE, _PLEASE leave me a review_. It would make me happy y,y

Until then… I'm going to bed… z.z


End file.
